1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a user interface, typically of the kind used for conducting Internet searches, a method for conducting a search and interfacing with a client site, and a network system with associated computer systems and storage media.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Computer systems can be used for accessing and downloading pages and documents from remote sites over the Internet. These remote sites can be accessed by entering a uniform resource locator (URL) in an address box in a browser. An Extensible Markup Language (XML) file can also be specified in various RSS formats, such as Really Simple Syndication (RSS 2.0), or Rich Site Summary (RSS 0.91; RSS 1.0). RSS delivers its information as an XML file called an “RSS feed,” “Web feed,” “RSS stream,” or “RSS channel.” RSS readers are typically constructed as standalone programs or extensions to existing programs such as Web browsers and e-mail readers.
Search engines are often used to find Web pages, documents, and RSS feeds over the Internet. A server site crawler periodically collects data from remote sites over the Internet, and the data is indexed into a search database. A search engine provider provides an interface with a search box for entering a search query. The search query is transmitted from a client site to the server, and is used to parse or extract data from the search database. A search results page is then transmitted from the server to the client site, and lists a plurality of URLs that can be selected by a user and directs the user to selected ones of the remote sites.